Bruce Ely, The OregonianBlazers president Larry Miller discusses the firing of general manager Rich Cho.

After more than four months of research and interviews, the Trail Blazers' ongoing search for a new general manager has come to this: The team is starting over.

A league source said the Blazers have decided against hiring any of the candidates they have interviewed to date and that Blazers president Larry Miller spent Thursday calling them to relay the news they were no longer being considered for the job.

The Blazers have compiled a new list of candidates, with a strong emphasis on people with extensive general manager experience, and will, essentially, restart the search.

"I don't want to get into specific details, but what I will say is that we are expanding our search," Miller said. "We're going to expand our candidate pool."

Miller refused to divulge the people he has interviewed. He also would not detail any of the names on his new, expanded list. But The Oregonian has learned that former New Orleans Hornets GM Jeff Bower and Philadelphia 76ers GM Ed Stefanski will be among the targets.

"We're going to continue to look to find the right candidate that is the right fit for our organization," Miller said. "Our goal is to bring someone in here that can take us to the next level."

After all, he says, the Blazers are not the only team searching for a new general manager.

"We're not the only team that's taking the time to find the right GM candidate," Miller said. "Other teams are going through a similar process; taking just as long as we are. Toronto and New York are going through this, too. It takes time. My hope is that we find the right person and I don't have to go through this again anytime soon."

But what happens when the lockout ends? When free agency begins and teams frantically scramble to plug holes? Will the team be prepared?

Miller and the Blazers are forbidden by the NBA from talking about all matters related to the lockout. But behind the scenes, the team's front office -- led by interim GM Chad Buchanan -- has been working on a plan to handle free agency whenever the season begins.

"Between (coach) Nate (McMillan) and Chad, the staff we have out there and myself, I think wewill be able to navigate anything we need to navigate until we find a new GM," Miller said.

On May 23, the Blazers stunningly fired GM Rich Cho after less than a year on the job, citing "chemistry" issues between he and owner Paul Allen. Cho's dismissal came 10 months after the team fired popular GM Kevin Pritchard.

Buchanan has served as interim GM since Cho was let go and steered the Blazers through the NBA draft in June. Miller began his search after the draft.